Who am I, really?

Everybody has a sense of self or sense of personal identity, and our sense of self is perhaps the most valuable human part of us. Psychologists defines "sense of self" as the way a person thinks about himself and views his traits, beliefs and purpose in the world. Beyond the basic need for a sense of control, we are more deeply driven by our sense of identity - of who we are - than any other part of ourselves. As Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am."

Our sense of self includes the roles we play in life, the attributes, behaviors and associations that we consider most important about ourselves. And our sense of self is always changing as we learn, experience and grow. For example, I am a therapist, a sister, an American, a friend, a Buddhist, and much more. Each of those are descriptors of me that function together to manifest the person I am, that give me confidence and a sense of security and help me create a life that is happy, rewarding and worthwhile.

Who am I, really?

Sense of self is an essential element of human personality. A strong sense of self creates confidence and the ability to move forward, meeting life's challenges. It is the foundation that underpins our ability to function in an often difficult and formidable world. When our sense of identity is challenged, even the strongest among us can feel powerless it can cause confusion and a feeling of loss. Or, in other circumstances, it can open our eyes to new possibilities and expand the boundaries of our hearts, minds and lives. If an individual is ready for it, seeing another aspect of who they are can be a wonderful thing.

"I'll never forget the day I learned who I really am, where I came from and why I'm in this world. I was resting on the couch in my living room one Sunday afternoon. It was a clear winter day and a bit chilly in the room so I had put on sweat pants and shirt with thick socks and pulled a light blanket over my body as I settled in for a nap. The weekend before I had experienced my first contact with beings from another world - an experience that, over time, would answer a lot of questions and explain much of what I had felt throughout my life. Later, I told someone that the contact experience was like a getting psychic thump on the head that woke something up in me and started a process of discovery that changed my life. Recollections of my experience rolled around in my head as I began to drift into sleep. But just then, a clear perception came into my mind and I raised my head from the cushion and looked down my outstretched body toward my feet. As if I had X-ray vision, I could clearly see through the thick socks and I could see my feet; only, they didn't look like my feet. Instead of my wide, flat size 8's, they were small and delicate with three long slender toes on each covered in gray-colored skin. I allowed my X-ray vision to move on up my legs, which I could see were skinny and spindly looking, also gray-colored. On up to my pelvis and torso - slim again, with narrow hips and waistline and flat chest. At that point I lifted my hands and saw, through my thick sweatshirt, delicate, thin arms ending in small hands with three long slender fingers on each. I couldn't see my head and face, but I could feel that they were no longer human. It was all very clear. As a matter of fact, if I close my eyes and look down at my body right now I can see what I saw then. I knew I hadn't actually transformed, but I was seeing through my human form to another reality. And then I heard a very clear voice say in my ear say "This is who you really are. This is what you really look like." In the split-second that it took those words to reach my mind, I felt a weight that I had carried my whole life drop from my shoulders, I felt relief and I thought, finally, I know why all my life I had felt like I never fit in, like I was part of this world but also part of somewhere else, like I had something special to do but didn't know what it was. It felt wonderful. It may be hard for others to understand, but to me it isn't strange at all. They are both me and both are real." JH

Many experiencers talk about being taken aboard alien space ships and given information about the solar system and the galaxy, sometimes in verbal or written form and sometimes on images or video screens. Much of the information is highly technical and scientific and the individuals often don't recall the details after the experience, but they later notice an expanded interest in science, physics, astronomy, geology, etc., and a greater ability to understand concepts that were difficult for them before the experience. Some of them believe they were given this knowledge for the benefit of humanity or that they were part of a program in which ETs study the mental and intellectual capacity of human beings. Whatever the reason, people who have been through these programs report not only getting smarter, but gaining an expanded sense of self, more curiosity and more confidence, and they tend to say things like "I never knew there was so much inside me." "I believe I can do anything I want to now." "I am more than I ever knew I was before."

Experiencers often relate that contact with beings from worlds other than Earth has expanded their boundaries in many ways, sometimes helping them regain a sense of purpose and true identity they had lost or didn't know they had. That expanded sense of self may reveal itself through mental, spiritual or physical experience. Some human-ET hybrids say that when they came to Earth, they agreed to allow the knowledge and memories of their ET families and lives to be blocked so it would be easier to live as humans. But later in life, they were contacted again by their ET family and showed the truth.

"I was born into a very close, happy home. I was an only child, but even though my mother and father were busy people, I never felt isolated or alone. When I was 12 years old my parents were killed in an accident and my beautiful, happy world collapsed. I went to live with my aunt and uncle who loved me and treated me like their own and gave me a warm, protective and supportive place. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough; the loss of my parents was so devastating that I sunk into deep depression and began to withdraw from the world. When I did feel like doing something, I couldn't make up my mind what I wanted to do or how I felt or even what was right and what was wrong. I had been such an active, engaged child before, but now I felt barely alive, like I didn't exist. When I didn't get better in a few months, my aunt and uncle took me to a psychologist who diagnosed me with borderline personality disturbance and lack of self-identity caused by my parent's death, and started me on a regimen of medication and therapy. In the beginning I thought things would never change, but I slowly started to feel better and get involved in life again, and when graduation time came around I was a year behind the rest of my class, but I didn't care, I was just happy to be alive again. From there I went to college, got a job, got married, and had a normal, happy life. After what I had been through as a child I thought I knew myself pretty well, but when I was in my mid-30s I had another experience that rocked my world, but in a good way this time. While doing meditation one evening, I had a very strong psychic contact from an ET being that was the first of many and that eventually led me to discover my history as a human-ET hybrid. I won't go into the details, but it has been an amazing experience and I think I appreciate it more because of what I went through as a child - losing my human parents and then nearly losing myself. Knowing who we are is so important." MG

I suspect that there are many people walking around on the Earth today who are not "from around here" in a galactic sense, and who don't know it. If you subscribe to the ancient alien theory, you may believe that applies to all of us. But whether an individual chooses to acknowledge the possibility or not is inconsequential. If Earth is truly the melting pot of the universe, then we are all from somewhere else whether we accept it or not.

At the same time, there may be many individuals who strongly suspect or know that their sense of self is founded on more than human DNA, but for their own reasons have chosen not to share that information with anyone else or not to pursue it further even for themselves. And there's nothing wrong with that. Most people find that dealing with one life at a time is enough of a challenge. If there is more inside them waiting to be found, it'll be there when they are ready to find it.

So who are you, really? Human? ET? Hybrid? Undecided? It might sounds corny, but in the long run, whoever you are may not really matter, as long as you are the best possible You.

"Live like you're already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it all come ripping right through you." Jeff Bridges